With Jimmy Graham's grievance hearing scheduled to begin one week from Tuesday, a league source indicated that the NFL Management Council will make a strong counter-argument against the NFL Player Association's claim that he should be considered a wide receiver instead of a tight end for franchise-tag purposes.

At stake is whether the New Orleans Saints should be required to offer Graham a one-year franchise tag salary of $12.3 million instead of $7.035 million -- not to mention a tremendous amount of leverage in their long-term contract negotiations.

"The union's position is a naked cash grab," the source said. "It ignores Mr. Graham's use as a 'traditional' tight end on roughly 60 percent of the snaps where he lined up within 4 yards of the tackle. It also ignores the historical use of the tight end position.